Pregnancy and miscarriage predict suicide attempts but not substance use among dual-systems involved female adolescents

Suicide and accidental injuries such as alcohol-related deaths and accidental overdose are among the top five leading causes of death among female adolescents. Compared to the general population of female adolescents, females with juvenile justice and child welfare involvement are at a higher risk for pregnancy, suicide and substance abuse. A new paper by University of Oregon researchers, published in the June 2022 issue of Children and Youth Services Review, finds that pregnancy loss may exacerbate the risks for suicide attempts. The findings suggest that supportive care, including screening, referrals, and therapeutic support, is needed for justice and foster care involved females who experience pregnancy loss.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Camille Cioffi, PhD
Research Associate, Prevention Science Institute
Camille Cioffi is a research associate at the Prevention Science Institute at the University of Oregon. Her research focuses on improving health, mental health, and substance use outcomes among people with substance use disorders who are pregnant and parenting with a particular focus on highly stigmatized populations including people experiencing houselessness and people who inject drugs.

Maria L. Schweer-Collins, PhD
Research Associate, Prevention Science Institute
Maria Schweer-Collins is a research associate at the Prevention Science Institute at the University of Oregon, where her clinical background shapes the research she conducts in the areas of parenting interventions, trauma, and mental health promotion. Broadly, her research is centered on giving voice to womens’ experiences and stories as their lives intersect with different systems, including healthcare systems, the child welfare system, and the criminal justice system.

Leslie D. Leve, PhD
Lorry Lokey Chair; Professor; Director Prevention Science Institute; Associate Vice President for Research
Leslie Leve is best known for her research on child and adolescent development, gene-environment interplay, and interventions for underserved children, families, and communities. This includes preventive intervention studies with youth in foster care or juvenile justice system, adoption studies that examine the interplay between biological and social influences on development, and COVID-19 testing outreach programs for Latinx communities. She co-directs a center on parenting in the context of opioid use. Her work also focuses on outcomes for girls and women.